Unit 6 Review: Organisms and the Environment

A good adaptation for living in a grassland would be -

• the ability to hibernate
• The ability of plants to grow very high to reach the sunlight
• thick, insulating fur
• The ability of plants to regrow after prairie fires

Snails are classified into a much larger group of animals named mollusks, each having a unique file-like tongue called a radula. A close up view of the radula is above.Why would it be beneficial for you to have a snail in your aquarium?Why would it be advantageous for the snail to have a tongue with spikes of spikes?

• to scratch algae off or hard surfaces
• to enable the snail to move more easily in aquatic environment
• to extract extra food from gravel
• to effectively clean the surface of the water

Adaptations help improve animal survival and reproduction. They can be behavioral or structural. Which choice describes an animal best suited for a cold environment?

• eyes and nostrils on the top half of the head, outer covering of scales
• special feet with flattened, webbed toes for climbing up smooth surfaces
• torpedo body shape for fast swimming
• Two layers of fur: inner layer insulates, outer layer sheds moisture and protect from wind

Some desert animals are most active at dusk and dawn. This adaptation is MOST helpful for -

• preying on plant species
• finding new water sources
• avoiding high temperatures
• hiding from hungry animals

A plant with broad, flat leaves is BEST adapted for —

• conserving heat in a tundra
• collecting water in a desert
• avoiding insects in a prairie
• absorbing light in a rain forest

Which statement below best describes how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

• A variety of plant and animal species allows for more survivors of a natural disaster.
• Having more species in an ecosystem allows the human population to increase in size.
• Low biodiversity reduces the competition for resources, which helps native species survive.
• Fewer species in the ecosystem reduces the likelihood that disease spreads through the ecosystem

The Texas Mock Orange is a type of flowering plant that is only found growing naturally in Texas.  Which of the following is the most likely reason that they only grow naturally in Texas?

• The type of animals that eat the Texas Mock Orange are not found in other environments.
• The amount of sunlight the Texas Mock Orange needs is not found in other environments.
• The type and amount of water the Texas Mock Orange needs is not found in other environments.
• The types of organisms that pollinate and help the Texas Mock Orange reproduce are not found in other environments.

Sea anemones have a muscular disk that helps them cling to rocks.This disk helps a sea anemone —

• survive in the presence of bright sunlight
• withstand the force of crashing waves
• escape from hungry ocean animals
• survive the salt found in seawater

A non-native plant is introduced into a diverse, mature ecosystem in equilibrium. Assuming that the non-native plant has no natural enemies and that it thrives in the ecosystem, how will it affect the community?

• The native species will become more like the new plant.
• The number of native species will decrease.
• The number of native species will not be affected at all.
• The native species will all become extinct.

Which of the following situations contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

• Increase in biodiversity
• Decrease in biodiversity
• Extinction of a population from the ecosystem
• Removal of many populations of organisms